Expandable container



w. L. HIERSTEINER EXPANDABLE CONTAINER Aug. 3, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 50, 1963 INVENTQR. Illa/fer L. filers fewer.

A TTORNE X ug- 1965 w. HIERSTEINER EXPANDABLE CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 50, 1963 9. 2 x V W F 4 a 7 w. w T 4 m 4 a 6 a 7 4 4 2 4 A J a; n a 5 INVENTQR. IVa/ferl. ff/ens fame/z Mg, Wm

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,198,42i} EXPANDABLE CGNTAINER Walter L. Hiersteiner, Mission, Karts, assignor to Tension Envelope Corporation, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 36, 1963, Ser. No. 334,133 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-68) This invention relates to expandable containers that are more flexible in expansion thereof, in that they are readily adapted for containing flat inserts in the manner of ordinary flat envelopes, or they may expand to accommodate more bulky inserts.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an expandable container having solid front and back panels connected by expandable side walls which are less bulky and more flexible when in collapsed position than the sidewalls of the usual expandable container; to provide an expandable container that is easier and simpler to manufacture; to provide an expandable container construction wherein the expandable side Walls are integrally connected to sides of one panel by folds, and to inner marginal faces of the other panel by means of outturned flanges sealed flatly thereto; to provide an expandable container with normally flat side walls that are more readily yieldable in accommodating themselves to a bulky insert; and to provide an expandable container that is expandable in two or more stages.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention as hereinafter described, I have provided an improved container constructiomthe preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of expandable container in flat condition, as when containing a flat insert.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the blank from which the container shown in FIG. 1 is formed.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the blank with adhesive applied thereto, and partially folded.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4-4 of FIG.

1 showing the container initially expanded as when containing a few flat sheets.

FIG. 5 is a similar section showing expansion of the container, as when containing a greater number of flat sheets or a bulky insert.

FIG. 6 is a perspective View of another form of the invention, which is capable of greater expansion and which squares out to better conform to the shape of the insert.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the blank from which the container of FIG. 6 is formed.

FIG. 8 is a section through one side of the container of FIG. 6, taken at a place on the container as indicated by the line 10, but with the container in only slightly expanded condition, as when containing a relatively thin insert or inserts.

FIG. 9 is a similar section showing the unfolding of a side flap to accommodate an insert or inserts of greater bulk.

FIG. 10 is a similar section of the fully expanded container, the section also being taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of the expanded container as shown in FIG. 10,

Referring more in detail to the drawings, and first to the form of invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive:

1 designates a substantially flattened container of the expansion type and which is formed from a single blank 2, shown in FIG. 2. The blank of FIG. 2 may be of or- 3,198,42 Patented Aug. 3, 1955 "Ice dinary envelope material, and includes substantially rectangular portions 3 and 4 of substantially equal size and defined by transverse lines of fold 5 and 6. Extending from the portion 3 along the line of fold 6 is a closure flap forming portion 7. Extending outwardly from opposite sides of one of the rectangular portions, for example, the portion 3, are side flaps or side wall forming portions 8 and 9. The portions 8 and 9 are integrally connected with the portion 3 of the blank at lines of fold 10 and 11. The portions 8 and 9 are provided substantially midway of the width thereof with parallel lines of fold 12 and 13, to divide the side flaps or wall portions 8 and 9 into substantially equal sized folding sections 14 and 15. The outer sections 15 are provided along the outer marginal edge thereof with stripes of adhesive 16, by which the outer margins'of the sections 15 are sealed to the inner face of the rectangular portion 4, as later described. The portion 7 that forms the closure flap is provided with an adhesive 17 for closing the insert opening of the container, as later described.

In folding the blank 2, the portions 8 and 9 thereof are folded inwardly on the lines of fold 10 and 11, and 1 then reversely on the lines of fold 12 and 13, as indicated in FIG. 3, so that the sections 14 will lie flatly against the inner face of the rectangular portion 3, and the sections 15 turn outwardly from the folds 12 and 13 and lie flatly thereon. The portion 4 is then folded on the line of fold 5 to make sealing contact with the adhesive 16. When thus folded, the rectangular portions 3 and 4 are in overlying registry to provide the front and back panels 3 and 4 of the container shown in FIG. 1, and the portions 8 and 9 provide closures for the sides of the panels 3 and 4, to cooperate with the fold S in closing sides and bottom of a pocket 20 that is provided between the panels. The other edges of the panels are unconnected, to provide an insert opening 21 (FIG. 1) between the upper edge 22 of the panel 3 and the fold 6. As stated, the portion 7 of the flap provides a closure flap that is coextensive with the width of the container.

When the side flaps or wall portions are folded inwardly on the lines of fold 10 and 11, the sections 14 thereof lie flatly against the inner face 18 of the panel 3, and the section 15 turns outwardly. The outer edges 25 of the side flaps 8 and 9 may register coextensively with side edges 26 of the panel 4. The sections 14 are thus integrally connected with the panel 18 by the folds 10 and 11, and the outturned margins of the sections 15 are sealed by the adhesive 16 with the side margins on the inner face 19 of the panel 4.

When the container illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, is used to contain one or a few flat sheets, the sides of the sheets are inserted between the sections 14 of the infolded side walls and the panel 3 (FIG. 4). The panel 4 will remain flat against the sections 15 of the side walls without expansion of that portion of the container. Therefore, the container has substantially the. appearance of an ordinary envelope. An initial or first stage of expansion is thus provided.

However, if inserts should be thicker, or a greater number is to be inserted, a second stage of expansion is provided since the panel 4 can move outwardly, with the sections 15 flexing between the adhesive 16 and the folds 12, as indicated at 27 (FIG. 5), to an extent necessary to accommodate the enclosures. Of course, the capacity of the container is limited by the single fold at the bottom of the panels 3 and 4.

The expandable container illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 11, inclusive, follows the connection of the side walls with the marginal edges of the panel 3 of the container just described, but has a modified form of bottom and side walls to allow for greater expansion in accommodating more bulky items, such as packs of cards and the like,

arsaano 53 that require squaring out of the container to substantially fit the pack.

In this form of the invention, the container is folded from a blank-28, shown in FIG. 7. The blank 28, like the blank 2 of FIG. 2, may be of ordinary envelope material, and includes substantially rectangular portions 29 and 30 which may be of correspondingsize to form the front and rear panels of the container shown in FIG. 6. The portions 29 and 36 of the blank 28 are integrally connected by a portion 33 forming the bottom 34 of the container. The portions 29, 36 and 33 are defined transversely by lines of fold 35, 36 and 37. Extending outwardly from sides of the portion 29 are side flaps or Wings 35 and 39 connected with the portion 29 by lines of fold 4i) and 41, to provide as a part thereof side walls of the container aslater to be described. The blank also includes a portion 44 extending along the transverse fold line 35 to provide the closure flap of the container.

The side flaps or wing portions 38 and 39 each have lines of fold or scores 46 spaced from the lines of fold 39 and 40, corresponding to the spacing of the transverse folds 3d and 37, which form the bottom of the container. The folds 4G and scores 46 define therebetween the side walls 42 and 43, previously mentioned. Spaced from the scores or fold lines 46 substantially a distance corresponding to the spacing of the fold lines 40 and scores 46 are fold lines or scores 47. The side flaps 3S and 3? also have median folds 48 corresponding to the folds 12 and 13 of the first described form of the invention, to divide these portions of the side flaps into equal sized sections. The portions between the median folds 43 and the scores 46 and 47 provide hinging portions 49 and St The portions 57 of the flaps 38 and 39 between the scores 47 and the outer edges 51 of the side flaps or wings are provided with adhesive 52 by which the portions 57 are attached to the inner marginal side face of the panel 3%. The portion 44 forming the closure flap may also be provided with an adhesive 53, if desired.

In folding the blank, the side flaps or wings 3S and 39 are folded inwardly on the folds 4t) and 41 to overlie the inner face of the portion 29, after which the wings are reversely folded on the median lines of fold 43, as shown in FIG. 8. In order to flatly fold the portion 38 of the blank in overlying contact with the adhesive 52, the portion 33 that forms the bottom of the container is provided with a median fold S4, to complete the folds of the blank in forming a flatly folded container. In flat condition, the, Wings 33 and 3 9 extend inwardly between the side walls, and sections 55 and 56 on opposite sides of the fold 5d of the bottom wall extend outwardly from the lower edges of the panels 29 and 30 in the planes thereof.

In squaring out the container for use in containing, for example, a pack of cards, the panels 29 and 36 are moved apart as shown in FIG. 9, during which movement the side walls 42 hinge outwardly on the folds 40 and 41, with the fold lines or scores as breaking and the folds 48 hinging to break the lines of fold or scores i7 (FIG. 9), whereupon the hinging portions 49 and 50 lie flatly against the portions 57 that ar sealed to the inner marginal edges of the panel 35), as shown in FIG. 10.

Thus the container forms a squared-out pocket 58 to constitute one stage of expansion in accommodating the pack therein. It is obvious that the pocket may further expand to another stage for containing a somewhat larger pack, for the reason that the panel Eitl may move a further distance from the panel 29 by reason of the hinging fold or score 47 and flexure of the portions 57 which are connected with the sides of the panel 30. Of course, the limit of expansion is controlled by the bottom 33, however, the container can easily contain somewhat thicker packs than the actual width of the side walls'42 and 43.

The expandable container illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 11, inclusive, like the expandable container of FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, may have an initial stage of expansion and be used for containing one or a few flat sheetsby inserting w the side edges of the sheets between the side wall forming portions 42 and 43 and the panel 29, as in the case of the first described form of the expandable container.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. An expandable container having stages of expansion, said expandable container including substantially rectangular overlying panels interconnected along bottom edges to provide a bottom and along at least one of the side edges of said panel, said side connection comprising a side flap integral with a side edge of one panel by a fold and having a parallel median fold dividing said side flap into folding sections of-substantially like size with the section that is integral With said one panel turned inwardly between said panels to provide an initial expansion on said first named fold and the other section of said side fiap'turned outwardly on said median'fold and terminating with the outer edge substantially registering with the corresponding side edge of the other panel, said sections of the side flap lying flatly upon each other when the container is in flat condition, and adhesive spaced outwardly from the median fold and connecting only the margin of the said outturned section with the margin of said other panel to provide a flexing portion in the said outturned section intermediate the median fold and the adhesive for cooperating withthe first named fold of the side flap in expanding the container beyond the expansion afforded by said initial expansion. 2. An expandable container as described in claim 1, in which said sections of the side flap have respectively a parallel score between the first named fold and the median fold and a parallel score between the median fold and the adhesive to break into folds when the container is expanded, whereby the portion of the side flap between the first name-d fold and the fold producedalong the nearest score provides a side wall forming substantially rightangular corners during initial expansion, and the remaining portions of said side flap are in folded contact with the inner face of the front panel to provide for further expansion. 3. An expandable container having stages of expansion,

said expandable container including substantially rectangular overlying panels interconnected along one of the edges thereof to provide a bottom,

side flaps integral with opposite side edges of one panel by folds, 7

each side flap having a parallel median fold dividing said side flap into sections of substantially like size, with the sections that are integral with said one panel turned inwardly between said panels to provide an initial expansion on said folds and the other sections of said side flaps turned outwardly on said median folds and terminating with outer edges substantially registering with the respective side edges of the-other panel, with the sections of each side flap lying flatly upon each other when the container is in flat condition, and

adhesives spaced outwardly from the median folds and connecting only marginal faces of the said outturned sections and marginal faces of said other panel to provide flexing portions in the said outturned sections intermediate the median folds and the adhesives in expanding the container beyond the expansion atforded by said initial expansion.

4. An expandable container having stages of expansion, said expandable container including substantially rectangular overlying panels interconnected along one of the edges thereof to provide a bottom,

side flaps integral with opposite side edges of one panel by folds,

each side flap having a parallel median fold dividing said side flap into sections of substantially like size, 7

' adhesives spaced outwardly from the median folds and connecting only marginal faces of the said outturned sections and marginal faces of said other panel to provide flexing portions in the said outturned sections intermediate the median folds and the adhesives, and said sections of the side flaps each having a parallel score between the first named fold and the median fold and between the median fold and the adhesive to break into folds when the container is initially expanded, whereby the portions of the side flaps bepanel to provide for further expansion on flexing of said flexing portions. 1

1,042,488 10/ 12 Shofier 229-68 1,194,440 8/ 16 Swortfiguer 229--68 1,956,325 4/34 Hart 229-681 X 2,460,909 2/49 Shafler 229-68 X 2,631,772 3/53 Hiersteiner.

3,073,508 1/63 Hiersteiner 22968 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner. 

1. AN EXPANDABLE CNTAINER HAVING STAGES OF EXPANSION, SAID EXAPANDABLE CONTAINER INCLUDING SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR OVERLYING PANELS INTERCOMNECTED ALONG BOTTOM EDGES TO PROVIDE A BOTTOM AND ALONG AT LEAST ONE OF THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID PANEL, SAID SIDE CONNECTION COMPRISING A SIDE FLAP INTEGRAL WITH A SIDE EDGE OF ONE PANEL BY A FOLD AND HAVING A PARALLEL MEDIAN FOLD DIVIDING SAID SIDE FLAP INTO FOLDING SECTIONS OF SUBSTANTIALLY LIKE SIZE WITH THE SECTION THAT IS INTEGRAL WITH SAID ONE PANEL TURNED INWARDLY BETWEEN SAID PANELS TO PROVIDE AN INITIAL EXPANSION ON SAID FRIST NAMED FOLD AND THE OTHER SECTION OF SAID SIDE FLAP TURNED OUTWARDLY ON SAID MEDIAN FOLD AND TERMINATING WITH THE OUTER EDGE SUBSTANTIALLY REGISTERING WITH THE CORRESPONDING SIDE EDGE OF THE OTHER PANEL, SAID SECTIONS OF THE SIDE FLAP LYING FLATLY UPON EACH OTHER WHEN THE CONTAINER IS IN FLAT CONDITION, AND 